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Donald Trump’s most recent ultimatum to enforce an further 100% tariff on products from China has been labeled a “prime illustration” of United States’ contradictory behavior, according to the Beijing administration.

A official from China’s Commerce Ministry also stated that the nation could enact its own unspecified “retaliatory steps” if the US President carries out his threat, adding that the country was “unafraid” of a possible trade war.

This past Friday, Donald Trump retaliated at China’s decision to tighten its regulations for foreign shipments of critical elements, charging China of “adopting a confrontational stance” and attempting to hold the international market “under its control”.

Furthermore, he vowed to withdraw from a scheduled meeting with China’s President President Xi, which was set for a summit in South Korea in the coming weeks.

The former president’s remarks on Friday shook financial markets, with the benchmark US stock index falling by 2.7%, marking its largest decline since earlier this year.

The president’s words renewed apprehensions of a commercial dispute between the two economic giants.

In May, the two sides had reached an agreement to drop triple-digit tariffs on each other’s imports, which had led to concerns of trade halting between the two countries.

As a result, United States levies on Chinese goods facing an additional import tax compared with the year’s onset, while American products entering China incur a import levy.

China’s latest remarks – issued by the Commerce Ministry in the manner of formal replies to media inquiries – mirrored rhetoric from the height of the ongoing trade dispute.

Officials denounced American limits on exports on chips and semi-conductors while defending the country’s own export controls on key elements as “routine measures” to protect state interests and that of every country.

Their representative said that for “a long time”, the America had “expanded the interpretation” of state security, abused overseas sale restrictions and “adopted biased policies against the Chinese nation.

“Turning to” trade levy ultimatums is not the correct approach to engage with China,” their representative commented.

“China’s position on a import duty dispute has always been unchanging: we are not seeking one, but we are not afraid of one.”

Recently, China announced it was tightening export controls on key elements and additional substances critical for high-technology production.

The action was viewed as a important measure, as the nation refines about the vast majority of the planet’s critical minerals, which are utilized in products such as renewable energy components and mobile phones.

Latest statements from Washington and Beijing are being seen by analysts as a means of strengthening positions prior to forthcoming discussions.

Remains uncertain whether a talks between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, scheduled at a conference in Seoul before month’s end, will still proceed.